I never liked the city center of Delft during my Master. I was certain those narrow streets along the canals were not designed for cars, but neither did I find it pleasant to ride my bike along a narrow, bumpy street. At the time, I had to cycle through the city center to go to some shops or to pick up some packages every now and then. Somehow, I often found myself on the wrong side of the street. I hated it when I was holding my phone in my left hand in order to follow the Google map and was riding with my right hand on a bumpy street, but I still couldn’t find my way. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, the weather in the Netherlands was rainy and windy most of the time. It was hard not to let the awful weather make my blood boil. Especially when my trousers were soaking wet, my glasses fogged up, and my hair plastered down over my forehead.
Surprisingly, Delft’s downtown turns out to be a really nice place to go for a walk – or at least it’s nice when the weather holds up. After two years since I moved out from Delft, I went back to the city center to have lunch with an old friend on an autumn Saturday. This time, as someone who was no longer a resident, I was able to appreciate the beauty of the old city center for the first time.
It was a bright, breezy day, which is not common in the Netherlands. Walking in the medieval city center on such a sunny day, you can find all the elements of street photography: light and shadows, color and contrast, geometry and silhouettes. So I was excited to capture some moments of cozy streets with my camera, hoping for some good shots. In the end, I was happy with some photos coming out of this lovely visit. And I knew I would have also liked this visit by simply enjoying the delicious octopus and banana mousse cake and by chatting with a good friend on a sunny afternoon like this. Besides, I’ve never tired of watching the reflections in the canals. When the canal is still and clear, the reflection of trees and buildings looks so real. As if there is a whole world in the water. When a gentle breeze ripples the surface of the canal, the reflection of yellow trees and the blue sky looks just like a vivid impressionist painting.
Hi, There 
Impressive photos and also writing, taking me back to that sunny afternoon that we shared. I do agree that a photo speaks for itself, but without doubt that your beautiful words dance together with the light in these photos.
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I wasn’t excepting any readers, but I really appreciate your kind words. 😉
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